How to Maintain Your Nighttime Routine as an Entrepreneur

The key to a great start every day is to set a nighttime routine every evening. At this time, you get to relax after a tiring day of work. It’s also when you can decompress and recharge physically, mentally, and emotionally for the coming day.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you have this feeling that you need to be hands-on with your business 24/7. You might deem yourself unproductive if you’re not doing industry research or setting up meetings with clients.

According to researcher Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, rest isn’t the opposite of work. He says, “Rest is not this optional leftover activity. Work and rest are actually partners. They are like different parts of a wave. You can’t have the high without the low. The better you are at resting, the better you will be at work.” You need a proper wind-down routine, so you can have the mental capacity and energy to conquer the day. Here are some habits worth incorporating before you go to bed.

1. Set Your Working Hours

As your own boss, it isn’t easy to set your limits. You may have the mindset, “As long as I have the energy to do it today, I will.” It’s great that you’re busy, but you also need to create boundaries between your work and personal life. One way to do this is to create working hours. Perhaps you could work from 8 AM to 5 PM. Then, as 5 PM hits, slowly wrap up your tasks and back away from your computer.

2. Disconnect From Your Devices

Two hours before bedtime, you can check your emails or social media. Reply to comments or quickly answer emails if matters are light. However, an hour before you go to bed, you must log off your devices. Ideally, you shouldn’t face a screen after 9 PM, whether it’s your phone or the TV. You don’t want to stay up late falling into the hole of social media or Netflix shows.

3. Practice Self-Care

Self-care can include drinking chamomile tea or going through a skincare ritual before bed. Ensure that you cleanse your face and wash off your makeup before sleeping. Nothing beats a horrible morning than waking up with breakouts. As you wash your face, think of it as also washing away the worries of the workday.

4. Make Time To Read

Many successful CEOs are avid readers – Buffet, Musk, and Gates. Incorporate reading into your routine and make it a goal to read a book every week. If you think that it’s too much, reading blogs can be helpful in knowledge building. You can include it in your screen time before going to bed.

5. Meditate

Clear your mind and unwind by doing a quick meditation. Install a meditation app on your phone and try to do a 10-minute guided meditation session. It’ll help center your thoughts when your mind is racing. There may even be times that you can fall asleep before the session is over.

6. Journal

Daily journaling can keep you grounded. Some people do it in the mornings, but it can get hectic that they skip it altogether. Journaling can be better at nighttime since you’ll be able to reflect on your day, release your frustrations, and reconnect with yourself. It can also be a great tool to track your success and dark moments. By jotting your thoughts, you’ll be able to learn more about yourself.

7. Sleep the Right Way

As you grow older, your skin doesn’t regenerate as fast as it used to. Sleep wrinkles may be more prominent and harder to get rid of. You can avoid this by sleeping on your back, hydrating your body before bed, and laying on satin sheets. Face the next day looking refreshed by sleeping the right way.

Final Thoughts

Mastering a morning routine can get you in a productive mood to start your day, but a nighttime routine is just as important. You’ll be able to enjoy your day more when you spend time in the evening taking care of your mind, body, and soul. Penelope Martinez is a prolific writer that enjoys skincare and makeup routines. She’s also an advocate of sustainability. Penelope enjoys traveling, listening to music, spending time with friends, and learning new skills.